


The Keeper of the Fae

by PeppermintGlow



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, Florists, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 02:55:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14661858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppermintGlow/pseuds/PeppermintGlow
Summary: Nana passes away, and with her death, Seungcheol inherits the title and duties of the Keeper of the Fae. Nana's secretary, Jihoon is there to make the transition easier for him, but tensions rise and sparks fly too often. Can a normal human florist live together with a Fae Boy - especially one as cute as Jihoon?





	1. Seelie House

“Seungcheol… it’s been a while.”

“Hi, boss.” Seungcheol pulled up a stool and sat down on it. “How was your time off?”

They looked at each other for a while.

“Cancer,” she finally admitted – but with a roll of the eyes, as if the cancer was just being a drama queen. “Did you know that breast cancer can be fatal?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t. It’s all – save the tatas! Your     boobs are important! Rescue your breast friends!” She flung her hands in the air in a huff. “If they had said, _save the women_ , maybe I would have found out that breast cancer’s a killer. But no. Boobies. Boobies are more important.”

“Boss.” Seungcheol coloured bright pink.

“Are you _embarrassed?_ Seungcheol, I’m going to die. Take it easy.” She patted his arm. “They’re just boobies.”

“Could you stop saying the word boobies?”

“I could.” She paused. “Boobies.”

“ _Boss_.”

“Alright, alright.”

“Are you really going to…?”

“Yeah, it was discovered too late. I’ve got like… two, three months, and then that’s that.” She sighed. “Right now I’ve got a little anaemia and they want to check it out, but then they’re going to let me go. I could take treatment… but it would just prolong the suffering. It’s already spread. Nothing much to do but enjoy my life.”

Seungcheol hung his head, gripping it, unable to fathom what was being said. “Boss, you can’t.”

She simply patted his arm in gently, comforting motions. “I know it’ll be tough, but you’re going to be just fine without me. You’ll have plenty of help, I promise. You’re going to do things you never thought of, and become an amazing person.”

“What help?” Seungcheol had to work to tone down his snappiness. “Boss, you’re the only person I have. I don’t have family. I don’t have friends. I have you, my landlady, and that one teenaged punk that works at the convenience store.”

“Well.” She looked out in the distance. “You’ll have to say goodbye to your landlady.”

“What-”

“Nana!” The voice called before the face was visible – a young man walked into the room at full haste, pink in the cheeks from exertion, breathing heavily. “Nana, Nana! Are you- are you okay?” He gave Seungcheol one plain look before rushing to Nana’s side, gripping her arm over the side of the hospital bed. “Nana!”

“There there, I’m fine.” She squeezed his hand. “Jihoon, this is Seungcheol. Seungcheol, Jihoon is my roommate.”

They looked at each other and simply gave each other a curt nod.

“Seungcheol will be inheriting everything after I die, Jihoon.”

The two men looked at her.

“… _everything_?” the man questioned.

“Yes, the house, the shop, the title, everything.”

Jihoon appraised the man opposite him with new interest, but Seungcheol didn’t spare him a glance. “Nana, what are you talking about? I can’t inherit the shop.”

“Of course you can.” Nana gripped him by the collar, voice suddenly stern. “As long, as you, don’t forget, to water, the fucking, geraniums, _Choi Seungcheol._ ”

The very tips of his ears went pink at the reminder.

“Nana… does he have a family?”

Seungcheol glanced at him, defensive. “Why?”

“Now, you two.” Nana put a hand on either of their chests, pushing them to their seats. “You will have to learn how to get along when I’m gone, you know.”

There was a quiet moment.

“How long?” Jihoon asked tensely.

“Few months.”

“Will you be here?”

Nana gave him a look. “Do I look like half of the bitch that is going to spend her final days in some sodding clinical hospital bed, between four white walls, with nurses coming in every day to fucking-”

“A simple _no_ would suffice, you know.”

She smiled, and for a moment, the sadness she had been keeping so very concealed disappeared entirely from her eyes as she gave him a fond look. “I know.”

“Sorry, Seungcheol, I didn’t mean to be rude.” Jihoon looked up. “Nana’s title can only be inherited by somebody with no family, you see.”

“Title?”

Nana slapped him gently in the chest. “I haven’t told him yet.”

“Oh.”

“You have a _title_? Like… Earl of Sandwich?” He scrunched his nose a moment. “Earl _ess_ of Sandwich?”

“I am _not_ the Earl of Sandwich, Seungcheol.”

They would have continued to argue semantics if a nurse hadn’t come in just that moment to discharge Nana from the hospital with a small bag of iron tablets.

“I’ll drive you home, Nana.”

Nana paused, Jihoon comfortably tucked under her arm. “Good idea, thank you Seungcheol. You can see the house then.”

“You’re inviting him over? You’re serious about this?”

Nana slapped him again, and followed Seungcheol to his car.

 

“Sorry, you’ll have to park here.”

Seungcheol sidled the car over to the side and cut the engine. “I didn’t know there was a forest in Seoul.”

“Well… surprise. Sorry, it’s just over there, we’ll have to walk this last bit.”

“Do you _walk_ to work every day?” Seungcheol could only shake his head, but he got out and supported Nana carefully anyway. “…in stilettos?”

“It is the true test of womanhood to walk up a narrow lane surrounded by bog in stilettos and not show fear,” she answered happily. “Jihoon? Come on.”

Jihoon followed obediently.

The house that Nana lived in was the most picturesque, quaint, _delightful_ thing Seungcheol had ever seen. It was a fairy-tale cottage in a different sort of way, with fairy-tale like qualities mingled with modern homebuilding to create a surprisingly large three-story home.

The front garden was set off by a grey brick wall at hip-height, almost entirely overgrown with moss that peeped out from a layer of snow. The little iron-wrought gate swung open with ease, because the snow had been cleared from the flagstone path from it to the front door.

The door itself was a deep wood with an iron loop handle, set in a front of grey stone. The front of the house was a perfect fairy-tale shape with steepled roof, and the front door came out slightly from the rest of the house. It was all brick, sprinkled with a light dusting of snow, but the orange light from the other side of the windows promised a warmer interior. It didn’t have a thatched roof, but it did have dark grey tiles, and white trimmings.

“Wow,” he said.

Nana’s voice was quiet. “Do you like it? It’s better in the summer, when the flowers are out. Welcome to Seelie House.”

“…it’s great.” He smiled. “It kind of suits you.”

She looked at the building with a smile. “I’ve loved every moment of living here. You will too, I guarantee it.”

He paused before following her. “What do you mean, I will too?”

“Well, when we get there, you’ll inherit this. Don’t sell it, mind. Live in it. It’s great.” Nana fumbled in her pockets, searching for a key.

“Do you not have a key?” Seungcheol asked Jihoon.

The man simply shook his head. “Although I’ve asked _madame_ plenty of times, _somebody_ refuses to change the lock.”

“I _want_ an iron lock, fool. Oh, drat. I think I left it inside. Jihoon?”

He sighed deeply. “Fine, I’ll go through the back. But one of these days I’m going to change this lock without your knowledge and then you’ll be sorry!” He disappeared with a quick jog and soon the front door was opening from the inside, Jihoon appearing in a small, dark hallway.

Nana was helped into the house – much to her chagrin – and into a comfortable wool-bound rocking chair. Before she could turn, Jihoon was already flinging logs carelessly into the fireplace.

Seungcheol _had_ to look around in astonishment. The walls were stone even on the inside, but here they were whitewashed to perfection, and sectioned off with great heavy grey wooden beams. The hardwood floors were equally grey, but a nice, light colour. The lights were atmospheric to say the least, warm and inviting and delicate, not to mention fairy lights draped around bright watercolour prints on the walls. The sofas were white canvas dotted with coloured cushions, and all he could feel was that Nana was a master interior designer.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

He could only nod.

“Thanks for bringing me home, Seungcheol.” She smiled warmly. “From now on visit me here lots, okay? I don’t think I’ll be coming into work too often anymore.”

Seungcheol sighed at the idea, and took the blanket she was struggling with from her in order to shake it out and place it over her lap. “That’s alright.”

“But I’ll phone you plenty, just to-”

“Mention the geraniums all of one more time, I dare you.”

She just grinned.

“I’ll make tea,” Jihoon murmured, standing up from the fire. “Are you hungry?”

“I’m famished.” Nana held up her hand like an obedient child in class. “How about you, Cheol?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Actually, I should probably get going. I closed the shop in a hurry, and I’d like to make sure it’s all properly locked before it gets too late.”

“Alright.” She held out a hand to him, squeezing it. “From now on, take a day off every week and come visit me here.”

“Boss?”

She nodded happily. “Just do it. There’s a lot you need to learn before you can inherit my title. I want to get it right with you.”

He nodded. “Alright. Sundays it is. I’ll call you tomorrow to see how you’re doing, Nana.” He leaned in for an uncharacteristic hug. “Stay safe. Sleep tight tonight.”

“You too. Thanks for today.”

“Any time, boss.” He looked at her for a long, sad moment before ruffling her hair gently. “Bye, Jihoon.”

The young man with two cups of tea paused, then nodded stoically. “Bye.”

They waited until Seungcheol had left.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’m entirely serious, you’ll find.” She sipped her tea. “I won’t live to a ripe old age like the others. I need to secure an heir _now_. He’s my choice.”

“He _can’t_ be the next Keeper.”

“Why not?”

The two stared at each other for a moment.

“Are you sure he has no family?”

“Absolutely none. He was alone when I found him – no family, no friends, no attachments.” Nana sipped her tea thoughtfully. “He was different when I found him. He’s turned into a respectful young man now. He’ll be a fine Keeper, Jihoon. You’ll enjoy helping him as much as any Keeper.”

Jihoon’s face scrunched up a little and he shook his head fiercely. “No,” he whispered. “Not as much as you. Never as much as you.”

“Oh, Jihoon.”

He looked at her, desperate. “Don’t die, Nana,” he whispered. “Don’t die. Nobody’s ever left me this quickly before. We were supposed to have years together. You were supposed to grow old. Don’t die.”

She gave him a sad, closed-lipped smile. “I’m sorry, Jihoon.”

He turned away from her.

“Were you this distraught when Father died? I don’t remember something like that.”

“Your father was _old_ ,” he stressed. “We’d been together for _years_ , I’d had so much time to watch him grow frail. I haven’t had enough time with you, Nana.”

“I’m sorry, Jihoon.”

They sat and drank tea.

“This Seungcheol guy… do you think he’ll be a good Keeper?”

“Would I leave you in the hands of an incompetent?” Nana gave him a concerned look. “Jihoon, how many Keepers have you been with?”

He dodged. “A lot.”

“And how many of them turned out to be bad Keepers?”

He soured. “Three.”

“And do you think I’d leave you to care for somebody like them? You will be well-provided for, Jihoon. I won’t leave you without guidance or love. And you know I’ll always be with you. Seungcheol is young, and a little foolhardy, maybe, but he’s _good_. He’s got a pure soul. He’ll need help, in the beginning, but he won’t do bad things. He will take care of you, and you’ll never have felt more precious in your life. I know he will. He’s that type of person.”

“You’re that type of person,” he objected.

“Jihoon…”

They looked at each other.

Jihoon put his cup of tea down on the table, kneeled at Nana’s feet, and placed his face in her lap, silently sobbing. “Please don’t leave me, Nana,” he whispered, distraught. “Please don’t go. Not this soon.”

Nana strokes his hair gently. “Don’t worry, we still have many days together,” she smiled. “We’ll spend lots of time together. You’ll be sick of me like we’ve been together for 100 years.”

 

That night, Nana passed away in her sleep, and overnight, Choi Seungcheol became the new Keeper.

The Keeper of the Fae.


	2. A New Keeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol becomes the New Keeper of the Fae. His reaction is not stellar.

“It has to be stargazers.”

Jihoon paused. “She loved stargazers. And… hyacinths, and rock roses. We’ll have the house dripping with them.”

“Did she… did she have a burial plot chosen?”

He paused, but didn’t look up from his notepad. “Nana will be buried on Sacred Hill, just like her Father before her, just like every Keeper before her. Each of them have a small garden. I’d like to plant hyacinths in hers. She loved the smell.”

Seungcheol nodded twice, then sighed. “So the title she had is… Keeper?”

“Mm.” Jihoon nodded, jotting down details. “When you see the solicitor on Monday, he’ll explain everything.”

He nodded again. “Where is Sacred Hill?”

Jihoon stood from the table and pulled on Seungcheol’s sleeve, taking him through the kitchen and out into the back garden. “ _That_ … is Sacred Hill.”

He observed it for a moment. “It’s nice, in the sun like that,” he said quietly. “She’ll like it.”

“It’s better in the summer.” Jihoon passed Seungcheol a packet of tissues quietly, without commenting on the tears returning to his bloodshot eyes. “Green and luscious with asters dotted all around. It’s plain, snow-capped.”

Seungcheol could barely manage a “m-hm” and even that sounded pathetic.

“We’d better get you back in.” Jihoon swept his glance over the garden fence, scowling at nothing. “There’s some of her items you need to take right now, before the official inheritance of the title.”

Jihoon disappeared for a while, leaving Seungcheol to dry his eyes and sit in an ornately carved wooden kitchen chair, taking in the smell of freshly baked bread. It was lovely, but he wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be hungry again. The hole in his stomach wasn’t from lack of nutrition. He’d lost something far more important, and it impacted him far deeper than he thought it would.

“Here, take these.”

He jumped, pulled from his reverie, and automatically extended his hands. It took him a moment to place the items on the table in front of him, and understand what they were.

“A silver choke- oh… come to think of it, she did always wear one. Didn’t she have several?”

“Yes. It’s important that you put it on.”

He frowned a little. “Why? It’s a woman’s necklace.” He was given a look, to which he automatically deflated. “The solicitor will explain on Monday?”

Jihoon nodded.

He sighed. “Alright. If you say so.” Seungcheol clasped the silver choker and put it around his neck carefully.

“Never take it off.”

“What?”

“Ever. Not to sleep, not to shower, _ever_. If you take it off, only do so in order to replace it with another.”

Seungcheol blinked a few times, but decided it was not best to tax him. After all, Jihoon hadn’t just worked with Nana and been her friend, he had _lived_ with her, obviously in some type of relationship. Jihoon’s loss was greater than Seungcheol’s, which simply made it more frustrating that he didn’t know why Nana’s belongings didn’t go to him, instead.

“The rings, too.”

Seungcheol dutifully slid on the iron rings.

“No, one on each hand. And don’t-”

“Don’t take them off, ever?”

Jihoon could only nod, and Seungcheol could only obey.

“What’s this?”

“Keeper’s amulet.” Jihoon sat down. “It doesn’t serve any real purpose, it’s just… a status symbol, I suppose. You don’t have to wear it, but it would be best if you did at the funeral. Speaking of which.” He looked up. “There will be a lot of people at the funeral. Some of them will be odd. Many of them will be curious about you as the new Keeper, and offer their condolences. Just accept their kind words. Don’t try to console them back.” He paused, looking out the window. “Nana was the most beloved Keeper in a very long time. Many will come to say their final farewells. After the funeral we’ll be having drinks and food here, but you’ll be at the solicitor’s then, won’t you?”

“Yeah, right after the ceremony. I’m glad… many people will come. She deserves that.”

“Sure does. Coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“So… can I ask a personal question?”

“Ahuh.”

“…why didn’t you inherit everything? You know, you’d think she’d leave everything to her partner.”

“Partne… oh.” He gave Seungcheol an odd look. “I wasn’t Nana’s boyfriend. I’m her secretary.”

“… _secretary_?” He scrunched his nose. “Is the title that demanding?”

“Definitely. I’ll be your secretary too, if you don’t mind.” It took him a moment to sort out the Senseo machine. “If you particularly want to replace me after a while that’s fine, but for the first while, you’ll need help to settle into the role. Nana asked me to help you, so if it’s alright with you, I’d like to honour that request.”

Seungcheol pretended not to choke up at the idea of Nana providing such care for him, and Jihoon pretended not to notice.

 

The weekend dizzied by: Seungcheol spent it working minimal hours in the shop in the morning, going to Nana’s house to help with organization, going back to the shop for the afternoon-and-evening rush, and going home dead tired.

And then Monday came.

 

“Seungcheol, this is Wonwoo and Jun.” Jihoon gave no indication which was which. “They’ll be helping us bear the coffin. The hearse will only be able to go so far up Sacred Hill.”

“Hi,” Seungcheol managed, pretending he wasn’t just done crying for the umpteenth time.

“Hey.”

“Yo.”

“Here, let me fix your tie.” Jihoon tip-toed a little to get a better angle, shifting his tie around. “You have to make a good impression. Do you have the Amulet?”

Seungcheol removed the golden enneagram from his pocket and slid the silver chain of it around his head, allowing it to rest neatly over his midriff. “I’m not sure it goes with the outfit.”

“Well, it’s not like you can wear golden spurs to a funeral.” Jihoon patted the star once. “Good. You look good. Nana wouldn’t be able to complain.”

 

The drive up Sacred Hill was a comfortable kind of quiet in the hearse: when the road got too narrow, they parked, hefted the coffin upon their shoulders, and walked.

Appropriately, it rained.

Jihoon gave the eulogy at Nana’s grave – not that Seungcheol wouldn’t have, but Jihoon asked to do it himself. There were many black umbrellas, and as was predicted, an odd collection of people. It was not an exciting funeral, as most funerals aren’t, and before long, Nana’s mortal body had been lain to rest.

Most of those convened left without saying a word, others did just as Jihoon said, and offered their condolences. Jihoon stood by Seungcheol through the taxing glances, and patted him on the shoulder. “Oh, here comes Ailee.”

Ailee was a beautiful young woman: long ,curly blonde hair, balanced, lovely features, in a black dress and black trench coat. She wore a sad smile. “Hi, I’m Ailee.”

“Hello Ailee, I’m Seungcheol.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss. You too, Jihoon.”

“Thanks, Ailee.” He took her hand in his. “It’s been hard. Will you be coming tonight?”

“Of course. I’ll bring warm muffins.”

“Come more often. I miss having you around. Especially with a new Keeper… well, Nana didn’t really have a chance to explain everything to him.”

“Oh. Oh!” She looked at Seungcheol with renewed interest. “I see. I’ll come over tomorrow afternoon, how does that sound?”

“Thank you.” He turned, patting Seungcheol on the back. “You have to go now.”

“Ah… that’s right.”

“Take the hearse down, I’ll walk with Ailee.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, go get your inheritance. Afterwards… you might want to come back to Seelie House. You might not. But if you don’t show up in a few days, I’ll come visit you.”

He nodded. “I’ll be back tonight, for the wake.”

“It’s a wake?”

“It’s not a wake,” Jihoon reassured his friend. “It’s a celebration of Nana’s life. She’d like us all to get drunk off our legs singing ditties to her.”

“…he’s not wrong.”

“See you guys later then.”

 

“Well, Master Seungcheol, congratulations. You are officially the founder of Blossoms Florist, the owner of Seelie House, and the Keeper of the Fae.”

“The Fae, huh… is that like, a neighbourhood Nana owned?” He had the decency to look sheepish. “Sorry, nobody actually explained to me what being the Keeper is.”

The little man gave him a concerned look. “Mistress Nana didn’t explain to you?”

He shook his head. “She only told me I was going to inherit the night before she passed.”

“Oh.” The man shook his head with a deep, heavy sigh. “She didn’t have the chance to explain, due to her… unexpected passing. Oh, dear. And Jihoon didn’t explain?”

“I don’t think he had time or peace of mind to do that,” he answered truthfully. “We’ve both been so preoccupied with the funeral, you see.”

“I do. I would have been there, but I had another engagement.” Mr. Lee shuffled Seungcheol’s brand new papers into a file. “Well, Master Seungcheol, quite simply put, you are now King of the Fairies.”

“…pardon?”

“Well, not King, not really. There never could be _one_ King or ruler of the Fae. Hah! Do you think a spriteling would accept a sovereign that consorted with hobgoblins and small-time demons on the same level as they? Hah!” He smiled to himself a little, blew his nose on a handkerchief, and stuffed the item away again. “No, the Keeper of the Fae is more of a diplomatic position. Your life sustains ours. You’re a caregiver to the fairies, elves, goblins, sprites, brownies, what have you. You help them sort out their problems, and in turn they offer you their patronage.”

Seungcheol laughed. “What on earth?”

“Well, for instance, I’m a gnome.” The man pressed a hand to his chest. “My family has been in these parts for three-hundred years. Nana was our Keeper, and before her was her father, and before him… who was Keeper before him? I think it was Boyoung. Yes, Mistress Boyoung. And so on, and so forth. Fae folk have needed Keepers for centuries to sustain their life force. To have a human in one’s service but not in one’s servitude is a powerful thing.”

“Are you trying to convince me fairies exist?” Seungcheol’s smirk was mocking. “I’m a fully grown man, you know. I won’t believe in fairy tales like that.”

Mr. Lee gave him a sceptical look. “Think about it, Master Seungcheol. Your new residence is a place called Seelie House. Seelie? As in… a Seelie court? You wear iron rings. Iron burns Fae folk. You wear Keeper’s silver around your neck to protect you from enchantment and abduction. Seelie House is sealed in iron too, or didn’t you notice? Nana liked iron locks on her doors, because it meant she wouldn’t get unexpected visitors.” He folded his arms. “It’s also not my fault you didn’t look at the Keeper’s Contract you signed.”

Seungcheol’s wide eyes thinned to slits as he removed the contract from the file.

_Article one. The party of the first part swears upon their life, to sustain the Fae Folk and all their descendants and families, their territories and claims and rights, hereafter known as the party of the second part, for as long as they breathe life._

Seungcheol looked up, and Mr. Lee was gone.

“Mr. Lee? Sir?”

“I’m here.”

“…where?”

“Can’t see me, can you?” Mr. Lee’s voice was close. “Most Fae folk retain the ability to become invisible to human eyes, even if they do not contain a close relationship with magic, like us gnomes.” As if he had always been right there, he suddenly reappeared in sight, sitting where he had been all that time. “And now I reappear, as if out of thin air. It’s not an illusion or trick, and you’re not hallucinating with fatigue. I’m Fae. As my family has been for generations. Everybody at the funeral yesterday was Fae. Jihoon is Fae. We’re all Fae. And you’re our new Daddy.”

“… _naaaaaaaaaah._ ” He shook his head, mostly in disbelief, but starting to doubt. “ _Suuuuuurely_ not, _naaaaaaah._ ”

He sighed. “Fine, I didn’t want to do this. Do me a favour – could you bring me the blue bottle out of the cupboard behind you there?”

Seungcheol walked and returned.

“Thank you. Now, please, hold out your hands.”

Seungcheol did as asked.

Mr. Lee took a deep breath and pressed his hands on top of Seungcheol’s. Instantly, smoke began to come from between their hands and the poor solicitor pulled his hands away with a moan of agony, flapping his hands in the air to dissipate the smoke and try and bear the pain. Then, he slowly held his palms out.

The burn marks were exact replicas of Seungcheol’s iron rings.

“Iron burns Fae folk,” he repeated, removing his hands and opening the blue bottle carefully, allowing the ointment to glide into his hands. “Surely that’s a piece of folklore than even you have noticed.”

Seungcheol stared as, with some rubbing, the burn marks became a light pink tone, and the smoke finally dissipated entirely.

“For specifics and a history of Keepers, you can speak with Jihoon. I’m sure after tonight’s wake he’ll have more time for you.”

“It’s not a wake,” Seungcheol breathed, lips unmoving. “It’s a celebration of her life.”

“I see. Has your rune been activated?”

“My what?”

“Hold on, I’ll have to find my kit. I know I have one here somewhere. Please wait here a moment.”

Seungcheol sat back in his chair, scouring over his contract as Mr. Lee left the room. It was all there – mentions of Fae folk, of Keepers historic and Keepers futuristic, familiars and witches – and it was the most perplexing thing he had ever seen.

“Here we are, Master Seungcheol. One Rune Kit For Beginners. Oh, don’t worry. Keeper’s runes are easy enough to activate.” He opened the briefcase and pulled a small pink rock from a row of multi-coloured items. “Here, this should do it. Please, hold out your left hand and place it on the table.”

He put down the contract and did as he was bid.

Without further ado, Mr. Lee raised the pink rock high, and smashed it down onto Seungcheol’s wrist.

For a moment, it was as if fire had spread through his entire body, culminating in his chest, and then the pain was gone, just as fast as the briefcase and the rock.

“Now, how do I look, Master Seungcheol?”

Seungcheol almost jumped out of his skin. Mr. Lee had been – _had been­_ – a respectable older man with glasses, grey hair slicked back off his forehead. Now he was entirely different, with beady little eyes behind his spectacles, altogether far fatter and shorter, well-bearded, with entirely large ears and plenty of gold dripping from his abnormally sized lobes.

“Yes, I thought as much. Now that your Keeper’s rune is activated, you may see me as I truly am, a gnome for all intents and purposes. You’ll also feel it in your chest, when Fae folk are near – a tingling of sorts, Mistress Boyoung once called it. You’ll be able to separate Fae folk from the rest of humanity with ease, now.” He shook his entire body, and the beard and ears disappeared. “Sorry, I don’t like undressing to my true form in public. Even when it’s you, Master Seungcheol, I’d prefer to keep the façade of humanity alive. Don’t you think? Altogether more pleasant. Most Fae folk don’t feel the same, though. Oh, mind you, not all Fae folk look like Fae folk. Many look quite human.”

Seungcheol stood, sat, stood again, turned and walked away, then returned, leaned over the desk, sat, stood, and sat again.

“Master Seungcheol, if I might propose an idea?”

He looked up, almost desperate.

“It has been a long day following a harrowing weekend. Go back to Seelie House. Get some sleep. Speak with Jihoon in the morning. And uh… you should probably put something on that chest of yours. Mistress Nana preferred Vaseline, but previous Keepers have had an affinity for chamomile ointment. Jihoon has some.”

Robotically, Seungcheol took his papers form his solicitor, turned around, and walked out of the little gnome’s office.

 

It wasn’t until he had parked his car a few steps from Seelie House that the sore tingling on his chest broke through his reverie, paired with the phrase _put something on that chest of yours_. The house was lit up like a Christmas tree, smoke billowing from the chimney, loud music far to be heard. Sitting outside it in the cold, damp dark, Seungcheol fumbled with his tie for a few minutes in an attempt to rip it off, before hurrying the buttons of his shirt undone.

There, in the middle of his chest, sat a black tattoo in the shape of an enneagram. A nine-pointed star.

He did four buttons back up, and then couldn’t be bothered with the rest: he simply trudged out of his car, shuffling, almost tripping up the little stone lane, through the iron-wrought gate, up the pathway and through the front door.

Seelie House was full of the Seelie Court, and Seungcheol’s eyes couldn’t take it all in.

At some moment, between the confusion, the bodies moving, the candles lit and glasses filled, his eyes found Ailee.

She was unchanged, but for her hair and clothes, and she looked at him with curiosity first, then urgency. The look on her face was such, that even when she turned and moved through the crowd, his gaze followed her.

She returned from the doorway where she had disappeared with Jihoon in tow: a single red scar ran through his left brow.

Jihoon’s eyes met Seungcheol’s, and it was then they both noticed the entire room was silent, as the Seelie Court found their new Keeper in the doorway.

Jihoon put down his glass and shuffled between creatures to get to him. “Seungcheol… you’re back.”

Seungcheol turned to him, a desperate look in his eyes.

“Uh, everybody, it’s been a long day for Master Seungcheol.” Jihoon waved his hand. “I think he should take an early night, and we’ll sing Nana one last farewell.” He gave Seungcheol a look, nodding at the congregation in the living room. “Say g’night,” he whispered.

Seungcheol just looked in the far distance. “Nana,” he whispered, a tear falling. “I miss her. I miss her so much.”

Ailee and Jihoon gripped the Keeper of the Fae and took him to bed.


End file.
